“Prior to the visit, teachers and students read The Storm Runner together, and were thrilled to host Jen in their classrooms! Jen was warm, funny, and engaging—her personality and excitement to talk with students transferred beautifully.” — Wondermore

J.Cis a New York Times best-selling author. Her books for children, young adults, and adults have been published in more than twelve countries and have appeared on national lists, including the American Booksellers Association New Voices, Barnes and Noble’s Best Young Reader Books, as well as Amazon’s, Apple’s, and Audible’s Best Books of the Month. She has earned multiple awards and recognitions, including the New Mexico Book Award and the NM Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

She currently resides in the Land of Enchantment with her family and spoiled pups, but keeps part of her heart in Southern California, where she was born and raised. When she isn’t writing, she is haunting bookstores and searching for magic in all corners of the world.

JC's Featured Titles

The Anatomy of Magic: A Novel

Park Row |
Young Adult

A young woman learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family in this next novel by New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes.

Lilian Estrada seemingly has it all: an ob-gyn star on the rise, a master at balancing work with whirlwind romances and part of a family of fiercely loyal and exceptional women, all bound together by an extraordinary secret. The Estrada women each possess a unique power, and Lily shines with the rare gift to manipulate memories. Yet not even her mystical abilities can shield her from a harrowing event at the hospital, one that sends her powers—and her confidence—spiraling out of control.

Seeking solace, Lily retreats to her family’s ancestral home in Mexico, only to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past—Sam, the first love she never forgot. Nearly a decade since she last saw him, Sam is hardly the boy she once knew, and as old flames spark to life, Lily must navigate the mysteries of their shared history and the depths of her own heart if she hopes to control her unpredictable magic.

The Daggers of Ire

HarperCollins |
Children’s/Middle Grade

“A perfect blend of magic, humor, adventure, and heart!” —Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians

A rich and exciting new Latine middle grade fantasy about sisterhood, magic, and the power of kids to face what grown-ups refuse to see—by J. C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author of the Storm Runner series

Esmerelda Santos is a rare bruja, born with Chaos magic in her veins. She and her family are direct descendants of one of the four original witches—a mysterious legend about the night magic was born in San Bosco. But since the death of her mother, Esme is more concerned about healing their father’s spiraling grief.

When Esme finds a heart spell in a forbidden grimorio, she thinks it could be the answer to making her dad whole again. But before she can try, she and her best friend, Tiago, discover that their families and all the town’s witches have vanished—along with their magic, which keeps San Bosco alive. The only way to save them and the town is to find an original witch—impossible, since no one has actually ever seen one.

With a witch hunter on their tail, Esme and Tiago journey to a banished realm where forbidden magic runs wild. Here the two must embrace their powers and confront the legend’s terrible truths . . . or risk losing their families and their magic forever.

Perfect for fans of Witchlings and Amari and the Night Brothers!

Rick Riordan Presents: Dawn of the Jaguar (Storm Runner)

Rick Riordan Presents |
Children’s/Middle Grade

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the breathtaking finale to J. C. Cervantes’s Maya-inspired Shadow Bruja duology, in which Ren makes a bargain for her life.

Shadow bruja Ren Santiago was relentlessly pursued by the evil Aztec Lords of Night, who claimed that she was destined to be their queen, a destiny she wasn’t willing to accept. So she chose death instead.

Too bad death wasn’t the answer to her problems. Ren soon realizes she must return to the land of the living to make things right. Unfortunately, that means negotiating with Ixtab, queen of the underworld. Ixtab offers her ten days aboveground in exchange for the discarded crown of jade and shadow. If Ren fails, she will return to the darkness for eternity. Ren agrees, knowing full well that she also has to save her friends Marco, Monty, and Edison and, while she’s at it, put those pesky Lords of Night back to sleep forever.

The only problem is, Ren lost her shadow magic and time rope when she lost her life. How will Ren manage to accomplish what feels impossible? The answer lies not in manipulating shadows or time, but in recognizing the awesome power that has always been inside her.

J. C. Cervantes’s trademark humor, incredibly high stakes, fascinating characters, and shocking plot twists are on full display in this epic conclusion of an unputdownable duology.

Always Isn’t Forever

Razorbill |
Young Adult

Best friends and soul mates since they were kids, Hart Augusto and Ruby Armenta were poised to take on senior year together when Hart tragically drowns in a boating accident. Absolutely shattered, Ruby struggles to move on from the person she knows was her forever love.

Hart can’t let go of Ruby either…. Due to some divine intervention, he’s offered a second chance. Only it won’t be as simple as bringing him back to life—instead, Hart’s soul is transferred to the body of local bad boy.

When Hart returns to town as Jameson, he realizes that winning Ruby back will be more challenging than he’d imagined. For one, he’s forbidden from telling Ruby the truth. And with each day he spends as Jameson, memories of his life as Hart begin to fade away.

Though Ruby still mourns Hart, she can’t deny that something is drawing her to Jameson. As much as she doesn’t understand the sudden pull, it can’t be ignored. And why does he remind her so much of Hart? Desperate to see if the connection she feels is real, Ruby begins to open her heart to Jameson—but will their love be enough to bridge the distance between them?

The Enchanted Hacienda: A Novel

Park Row |
Fantasy

When there’s magic all around you, the possibilities are endless…

When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home–the enchanted Hacienda Estrada.

The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow’s mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams– but not Harlow. So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family’s magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless? But maybe it’s not magic she’s missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she’s far more powerful than she imagined.

With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.

The Lords of Night (A Shadow Bruja Novel)

Rick Riordan Presents |
Middle Grade Novel

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J. C. Cervantes’s exciting new spin-off from the best-selling STORM RUNNER trilogy.

“J.C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth.”–Rick Riordan

Fourteen-year-old Renata Santiago is the most powerful godborn of them all, a bruja with a unique combination of DNA. The Mexica blood from her dad’s side gives her the ability to manipulate shadows. Her mom Pacific, a Maya goddess, gifted her a magical rope that controls time, and Ren recently used it to save a few gods from getting stuck forever in 1987. She brought them back to the present, but her BFF Ah Puch, the once fearsome god of death, darkness, and destruction, is now a teenager with no divine powers.

Ren is also a girl with ordinary hopes and dreams. She wishes, for example, that her blog about alien sightings would garner more respect. She’s always been absolutely convinced that there’s a connection between aliens and the Maya civilization. Plenty of online haters feel differently, and they call her a fake, a liar, and a loser.

When Ren receives an email about an alien sighting in Kansas, she thinks it may support her theory. She also suspects that the cinco–five renegade godborns–are up to no good. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a quest to prevent the troublemakers from awakening the nine Aztec Lords of Night. Problem is, none of Ren’s friends are available to help her hunt down the cinco and the dangerous gods they are resurrecting. Ren has no choice but to team up with two strangers recruited by Ah Puch: Edison, a teen hybrid demon, and Montero, an eleven-year-old Aztec hunter. Succeeding in this quest will prove that Ren is no fake, liar, or loser. But it isn’t just another challenge. It could well be an impossible one that leaves Ren questioning her very existence.

Fractured Path (The Mirror, Book 3)

Disney-Hyperion |
Middle Grade Novel

Can dreams come true when you’re living with a family curse?

1965—San Francisco, California

The 1960s are bursting with music and movement and love in San Francisco, perfect for a budding artist like Blake. Unfortunately, the art world is not welcoming to people of her gender or her multi-racial heritage, making it tough to land an internship that could put her on the map. That, plus the fact that Blake’s family has been notoriously riddled with bad luck, makes her feel like she can’t catch a break. Things only get worse when Blake starts to have ominous, confusing visions that grow stronger and more frequent, prompting Blake’s aunt and uncle to tell her about a long-lost family heirloom that could be the key to everything

Fueled by the ambiguous clues in her visions, Blake sets out on a journey through the city to retrieve her ancestors’ legendary mirror. But Blake is not the only one looking for it. Soon she must attempt to unleash her own dormant powers . . . or else risk all she holds dear.

The Mirror: Fractured Path is the third book in the innovative YA fairy-tale quartet, following one family—and the curse that plagues it—over several generations.

Flirting with Fate

Razorbill |
Middle Grade Novel

“I dare anyone to read this book without a ginormous grin on their faces. Warmth, humor and enchantments burst off the page, and the colorful characters of the Granados family crackle to life with Cervantes’s signature wit, aching empathy and enviable flair for whimsy.” Roshani Chokshi, NYT bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves trilogy.

Jane the Virgin meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes’s charming, romantic YA debut.

Ava Granados will never forgive herself for being late to her beloved nana’s deathbed. But due to a flash flood that left Ava in a fender bender with a mysterious boy, she missed her grandmother’s mystical blessing—one that has been passed between the women of her family upon death for generations.

Then Nana’s ghost appears with a challenge from beyond the grave. As it turns out, Nana did give Ava a blessing, but it missed its target, landing with the boy from the night of the storm instead. Was it fate? Ava refuses to believe so. With the help of her sisters and Nana’s rather bumbling spiritual guide, she’s determined to reclaim her share of the family magic and set Nana free.

For guarded Ava, befriending some random boy is the last thing she wants to do. She’s gotten along just fine protecting her heart—keeping people at a distance is a great way to ensure no one ever hurts you. But as Ava embarks on her mission to retrieve the lost blessing, she starts to wonder if getting close to thunderstorm boy is worth the risk.

In her swoony, heartwarming young adult debut, New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes weaves an unforgettable tale about family, fate, and finding love where you least expect it.

The Shadow Crosser (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 3)

Rick Riordan Presents |
Middle Grade Novel

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J.C. Cervantes’ epic finale to the Storm Runner trilogy, a tale of mystery, magic, and mayhem featuring gods from both Maya and Aztec mythology.

Zane Obispo has been looking forward to his training at the Shaman Institute for Higher Order Magic, and not only because it means he’ll be reunited with his best friend, Brooks. Anything would be better than how he has spent the last three months: searching for the remaining godborns with a nasty demon who can sniff them out (literally). But when Zane tracks down the last kid on his list, he’s in for a surprise: the “one” is actually a pair of twins, and they’re trying to prevent a mysterious object from falling into the wrong hands.

After a shocking betrayal, Zane finds himself at SHIHOM sooner than expected. Even more shocking is the news that the Maya gods have gone missing. The bat god, Camazotz, and Ixkik’ (aka Blood Moon) have taken them out of commission . . . and the godborns are their next target. The only thing the villains need now? The object that the twins possess.

Zane knows the godborns aren’t strong enough yet to stand up to Zotz, Ixkik’, and their army. There might be a way to save the gods, but it involves locating a magical calendar that can see across time and space . . . not to mention traveling more than thirty years into the past.

In The Shadow Crosser, Zane and his friends embark on their most treacherous mission yet–a mission that, with one blunder, could change history as we know it, and worse, destroy the universe.

The Fire Keeper (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 2)

Rick Riordan Presents |
Middle Grade Novel

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J.C. Cervantes’ fiery and fast-paced sequel to The Storm Runner.
Zane Obispo’s new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can’t control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there’s a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn’t know what to do with his feelings for Brooks.
One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Maya gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed.
To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost.
Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld?
In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, Aztec royalty, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever.

The Storm Runner (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 1)

Rick Riordan Presents |
Middle Grade Novel

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J.C. Cervantes’ contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology.
Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He’d much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno–for his one good leg.
What Zane doesn’t know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he’s destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in–unless she can find and remove it first.
Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane.
When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can’t even walk well without a cane?

Tortilla Sun

Chronicle Books |
Middle Grade Novel

When twelve-year-old Izzy spends the summer in her Nana’s remote New Mexico village, she discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of majestic mountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, readers are sure to find this heartfelt story as rich and satisfying as Nana’s homemade enchiladas.https://images.booksense.com/images/504/131/9781452131504.jpg

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Dear Inspiration

Where do writers find inspiration for children’s stories? And how do we use inspiration to continue the writing journey in a challenging publishing world?

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Art and Commerce

This full day discussion will focus on the road to becoming an author, how to begin, what happens after you write your book, and where art and commerce meet. This is an informative presentation for anyone interested in pursuing a writing career.

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Worldbuilding

Solid world-building not only lends relatability and richness to your story, it makes the unbelievable believable. J.C. will touch on the many categories to consider, with special focus on setting, magic systems, history, creatures, and myth. She will discuss how those big-picture world-building pieces and smaller details interact with and often provoke the characters in ways that will keep readers immersed for chapter after chapter of your book.

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Mesoamerican Mythology

JC Cervantes uses visuals and bits of history to bring mythology to life.

J.C. Cervantes – Upcoming Events

Honors, Awards & Recognition

NYT Bestseller
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick
New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards Winner
2021 New Mexico Land of Enrichment Reader’s Choice Award
Zia Book Award

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

Similar Authors

Jimmy
Middle Grade Novelist
Mandy
Bestselling Middle Grade Novelist
Lynne
Middle Grade Novelist
Jennifer
Young Adult & Memoir/Essay Author
Alicia
Mexican American Children’s Author

We’ve received your Message!

An AU Representative will connect with you as soon as possible.